


Thalia To Melpomene

by 1JettaPug



Category: DCU, The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Mental Health Issues, Panic Attacks, Separation Anxiety, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 16:54:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10469745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1JettaPug/pseuds/1JettaPug
Summary: Axel paced around the apartment. It’s late, the time on his phone let him know. But he wouldn’t-couldn’tsleep! The deep, aching tension in his gut continued to twist and turn, seeming to infiltrate his chest, winding about him like an elastic band, ready to snap at any second.





	

Axel paced around the apartment. It’s late, the time on his phone let him know. But he wouldn’t- _couldn’t_ sleep! The deep, aching tension in his gut continued to twist and turn, seeming to infiltrate his chest, winding about him like an elastic band, ready to snap at any second.

“Why didn’t I see this coming?” Axel mumbled to himself as he settled his shaky body down on the old couch. He slowly slid himself down until his body hit the cushions. “Why didn’t I expect this... this to happen to him?” He paid a fond glance to the brightly colored bomb sitting on the coffee table sitting in front of him. His eyes traced over the eloquent “T” that stood out the most. “How could they... take away his freedom like this? …How could they take him away from… from me?”

He let out a deep sigh before attempting to block out his creeping anxiety. He grabbed the remote from the coffee table and began to lazily flip through the channels on the TV, not really picking anything in particular to watch.

His fingers froze when he landed on the local news channel. His chest grew tighter when he saw what they were reporting on.

“…That’s right, John. The CCPD still have their hands full trying to go through the Trickster’s warehouse that the Flash told them about. Two officers have already been severely wounded in the last week alone due to an explosion-in-the-box trick toy that the Trickster had set up.”

“That’s right, Janet. But Captain Singh assures the public that the officers are doing alright and recovering.”

“Good thing the Flash showed up and rushed them to the closest hospital.”

“It’s even better that he once again managed to thwart the Trickster’s diabolical plans. God knows what he could have done, or how many he could have killed if the Flash hadn’t been there to stop him.”

“The _Flash_ …!” Axel felt his chest tightened at the name. He also felt that familiar nagging ache in the pit of his stomach when he saw the picture of the cops going through _their_ toys! They were _theirs_! They had no right to take them!

He sighed and tore his eyes away from the screen. He needed to calm down. Dear lord, he really needed to calm down. Anger plus his crippling anxiety never got him anywhere.

“…James Jesse…” A single name stood out from the reporter’s blathering, and it snatched up Axel’s attention.

When he managed to turn his eyes upward to look at the picture of his father that they had displayed, Axel felt a fire in his heart that traveled through his veins and made him completely numb. His eyes stared back at him, and he found his trembling hand lifting up as if to pull his father straight from the TV screen.

"Now on to the weather portion of our segment." It cut back to the reporter. "Thanks to the Weather Wizard, it’s unpredictable again, folks-"

“NO!” Axel screamed, slamming his hand down on the table. “GO BACK!!” His other hand tightened around the remote and began flipping through all the news channels. He had to find one- just one, _dammit_ \- that was reporting on James Jesse. He had to find one! He _had_ to…!

“The Flash-”

No.

“More on the Flash at six-”

No!

“Last month the Flash-”

_NO!_

“Was the Flash spotted kissing Captain Cold-”

_**NO!!!** _

He had to think! He had to turn the TV off before that damn, _fucking name got in his head!!!_

No, he wouldn’t listen to it! 

He wouldn’t, _he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t **hewouldn’thewouldN’THEWOULDN’THEWOUL-**_

 

Something just _...snapped._

 

Axel dropped the remote, covering his face in his arms as his breath hitched, the tears rolling freely down his face within seconds. He sobbed silently to himself, shaking like a feeble leaf.

 

**XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX**

It could have been hours, days or even weeks... He didn't care how much time had gone by. He felt so done with the world if he couldn't have his father in it with him. He felt so damn tired...

He never heard the front door to the apartment open. He never would have had time to grab a weapon if it was the Flash or just an attacker, but he couldn’t move an inch even if his life depended on it. He’s all wheezy breathing and rapid heartbeats. A bullet could’ve gone right through him, and he could have cared less.

"Axel," A quiet voice called out to him. “Axel, look at me.” It sounded like they were right in front of him.

He couldn’t open his eyes. He just kept drawing in those rapid, painful-sounding breaths.

"Just keep breathing,"

Axel pulled them closer to him, clinging onto the one good thing he had.

“That’s it. What a good boy~” Gentle praise, it untangled the knots in his chest and stomach. It felt so good. It felt so long… And his father was alone, and kept so far away from him. There was absolutely nothing he could do for him! What if he needed him!? Axel felt another wave of sobs overcome him. He was useless, so useless to him.

“Axel,” That soft, warm voice called to him, momentarily pulling him from his misery.

Axel blinked up at his father, he was giving him a gentle smile, those warm eyes, the love and concern washing over his features. It was all too overwhelming for him so he dropped his eyes and shook his head. He felt arms wrap themselves around his body, and he- he couldn’t stop the sudden tears that sprang from his eyes, and he let out a strained sob.

“Miss me?” Axel almost laughed. It was a dumb question since James already knew the answer. He pulled him close against him as he sobbed uncontrollably. He smelled like home, like gunpowder and crazy glue. Axel shivered when he ran his hand through his hair, the light scratches against his scalp making him melt against him.

James took in the sight of his son’s tired expression that didn’t seem to want to leave his smiling face. And if the dark circles under his eyes were any clue, then he knew Axel hadn’t slept ever since they had locked him up.

He asked the question regardless. “Couldn’t sleep without me?”

Axel nodded wearily, exhaustion written all over his face. “I haven’t slept since you left… I missed you so much.”

“Well don’t worry,” James smiled, trying to hide all of his worry in his eyes. “I got me a get out of jail free card~ Well, that and a little help from Heat Miser and Snow Miser.”

He took Axel in his arms and kept a gentle grip on him. He’s still shaking, and James can guess that his chest probably hurts, too. He wiped his cheeks, soaking his sleeve with tears, but he didn’t care. He only cared about getting Axel calm, fed and rested.

“You want pancakes, kiddo?” he asked gently. “Gotta get something in your system before you go to bed.”

Axel smiled tiredly at him, nodding his head. “Yes... please,” he muttered, nuzzling his face into his father’s shoulder.

“You want rainbow sprinkles on your pancakes?”

“Of course…”

James smiled down at him. They could focus on food for right now. Everything else would just have to wait until he made sure Axel got a couple of hours of sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus points to whoever can guess what the title is associated with.


End file.
